Operating couch



Patented Jury 21, reas.

UNITED STATES FRANK W. ELLIOTT, 0F DAVENPORT, IOWA.

OPERATING COCH.

Applicatonled December 13, 1923.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK IV. ELLIOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Davenport, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented a. certain new and useful Improvement in perating Couches, of which the following is a specification.

lily invention relates to an operating tabl and particularly to a table adapted to support the human body during the manipulation of the body when pressure is applied to the body by the operator. Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrannnatically in the accompanying drawings whereinlfigure l is a side elevation of my invention; figure 2 is a plan View;

liigure 3 is an enlarged inverted plan view of a portion of the rear support;

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of l? i gure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged inverted plan view of a portion of the forward support; and

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6--6 of Figure 5.

Like parts are illustrated by like characters throughout the drawings and specification.

fr is any suitable table or supporting structure which may be mounted in any suitabie manner, for example on the legs or te-nfininal supports A1. 4

Adjustably mounted upon the table top A are a plurality of guide elements B along which are slidably adjustable a forward body support B1 and a rear body support B2. B3, D3, are any suitable clamp screws whereby the said supports are fixed in any desired position along the length of the table.

Turning to the forward support B1 which is adapted to support the upper portion of the body, it consists of any suitable frame work which comprises, for example, the side element C and the cross elements C1, C2 at the inner end. The cross elements C1 G2 are secured at each end to the side elements C. C3 is a iiexible, preferably metallic plate secured in any suitable manner to the cross pieces 'C1 and C2 and projecting substantially beyond the cross piece C2. It may terminate in a guard element C4, herein shown as substantially circular in cross sec- Serial No. 680,308.

tion. C5 is any suitable fabric or leather cover which extends over both the fixed portion of the support and the top of the flexible plate C3, both portions being covered with a substantial layer of upholstery stufhng C6.

The rear support B2 which is adapted to support the lower portionof the body, may be composed of any suitable frame work, butI I show side elements D and cross elements D1, D2. The cross elements D1 D2 are secured at each end to the side elements D. The cross element D2 is centrally off-set to conform to the curvature of the inner end of the open space In the place of the single flexible plate C3 of the forward support I used two vliexible plates D3, D* forwardly projecting from the rear supporttoward the forward support B1 and separated by an open space D5. The rear support, like the forward one, is provided with a cover DU and is provided with a thick padding or upholstery D7 extending over both the fixed and flexible portions of the support.

While I have shown an operative device, many changes might be made in the size, shape, number, proportion, relation and disn position of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore wish my description and drawings to be taken in a large sense diagrammatic. Vfhile I have illustrated the pedestals as adn justable toward and from each other, which the preferred form, I might also separarely adjust the flexible plates.

The use and operation of my invention are as fellows:

In the practice of manipulating or treat- 'fig the human body, by applying pressure to the body, particularly along vthe spine7 to relieve local strain or pressure upon nerves or blood vessels, the operator is frequently forced to apply very considerable and often sudden pressure. In case the patient is supported upon rigid or inerely ordinarily wielded surface the rislr of discomfort to the patient and of possible injury is consider able. I therefore provide a peculiarly 'liexible resilient support for the body and I so shape this support as to give support where suppe-rt is needec, while leaving free spaces beneath the body to prevent contact o-f the tenderer portions of the body with any fixed surface. For exampie, in the form of my invention herein shown, the face of the pa tient may rest on the fixed padded forward support B1. The flexible plate C3 extends douf'nwardly aleiig the upper portion et the body. be thighs will be supported by the flexible portions D3. D4 of thel second pedestal or support While the knees and feet will simply rest on the ordinary padded portion of the pedestal. Thus the chest and the center of the body is lloated upon three flexible padded plates Which sullioe to give ample though flexible support. These sui'iioiently bridge the gap between the two pedestals andy give ample support Where support is needed,y While leaving necessary `tree spaces between the supporting areas.

l claim:

l. ln an operating table, a supporting structure, a pair of separate body supporting eleii'ients spaced longitudinally apart there on, each such element comprising a relatively rigid portion and a relatively llexible portion projecting therefrom, said rigid and `flexible portions being iii each case struc turally continuous.

2. ln an operating table, a supporting` structure, a pair of separate body supporting elements spaced longitudinally apart thereon, each suoli element comprising a relatively rigid portion and a relatively flexible portion projecting therefrom, said rigid and lleirible portions being iii each case structurally continuous, said body supporting elements being' slidable on and longitudinally adjustable along said supporting structure.

3. ln an operating table, a supporting structure, a pair ot separate relatively rigid upholstered body supporting elements mounted thereupon, a single flexible supporting` member extending liroin one of said body supporting elements toward the other and a pair oft laterally spaced flexible supporting ineiiibers extending troni the second of said relatively rigid body supporting eleiiients toward the i'irst, tlie upholstery of said relatively rigid elements being eI-:teiided to cover said tlevible supporting` iiwii'ibersr Ll. In an operating table, a supporting structure., a plurality of separate body supportingl elements spaced longitudinally apart thereon, a single tleiible supporting member extending forwardly troni one oi .said body supl'iorting elementstoward the other, and a pair ot laterally spaced flexible supporting ineinbers extending lfroin lie second oi" said body supporting elements toward the first.y said 'flexible portions ieing in each case structurally continuous with. said body suipiporting elements.

lin an operating table, a supporting structure., a plurality ot Separate body supporting elen'ients spaced longitijulinally anart thereon, at least one o'lz said elements comprising a relativelyY rigid portion and a 1v f resilient body supporting portion g ther from, said rigid and flexible being in each case structurally conportions tiiiuous.

Signed at Uaveiiporti county ot Scott, and State lou/'a`r` this 7th day ol December 1923.

FRANK lV. Elil'ilO'lll. 

